† caricaˈtura Obs.
Also 8 carri-, carra-, 8–9 cara-.
[It.; lit. ‘charge’, ‘loading’, f. caricare to charge, load, exaggerate. Superseded in English by caricature.]
1. = caricature 1.
| a 1682 Sir T. Browne Misc. Tracts 207 Pieces and Draughts in Caricatura. 1690 Sir T. Browne's Let. to Friend §10 note, When men's faces are drawn with resemblance to some other animals, the Italians call it, to be drawn in Caricatura. 1773 Goldsm. Stoops to Conq. iv, I shall be stuck up in caricatura in all the print shops. 1829 Cunningham Brit. Paint. I 187 Heidegger..had a face beyond the reach of caricatura. |
2. = caricature 2.
| 1712 Hughes Spect. No. 537 ¶2 Those burlesque Pictures, which the Italians call Caracatura's; where the Art consists in preserving, amidst distorted Proportions and aggravated Features, some distinguishing Likeness of the Person. 1751 Chesterfield Lett. 10 May, Rembrandt paints caricaturas. 1814 J. Caulfield Calcograph. Pref., The multiplicity of caracaturas of my person already appeared. |
b. = caricature 2 b.
| 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. v. §20 Nothing is easier than to make a Caricatura (as the Painters call it) of any Profession upon Earth. 1756–82 J. Warton Ess. Pope II. viii. 42 A caricatura of Cowley. 1783 W. F. Martyn Geog. Mag. II. 172 Their plays being mere extravagant caricaturas. |
3. = caricature 3.
| 1752 (title) Lusus Naturæ, or Carracaturas of the present Age. 1789 Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France II. 313 Every thing appears to me a caricatura of London. 1809 Q. Rev. I. 347 Who can believe such a caricatura..ever existed? |
4. attrib.
| 1680 Sir T. Browne Let. to Friend §10 What Caricatura Draughts Death makes upon pined Faces. 1682 ― Chr. Mor. iii. 14 Caricatura representations. |